Apparatus for transposing railroad track rails



July 25, 1967 STRIEBEL ET AL 3,332,357

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RAILROAD TRACK RAILS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 4, 1965 BY MR q SLE S.

I .s Um A L 6 MC y 1967 F. L. STRIE BEL ET AL 3,332,357

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RAILROAD TRACK RAILS Filed March 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS FREDERICK L. STRIEBEL CLAUS R. GRAGE BY mmmwm x Mmmm ATT'YS July 25 1967 5 E ET AL 3,332,357

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RA ILROAD TRACK RAIL$ 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 4, 1965 I'NVEN TORS LE v0 BA T E R T m NW. A

C C i BY WM July 25, 1967 F. STQRIEQBEL ET AL- APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RAILROAD TRACKR AILS Filed March 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS f LE. u m ERWT TR. H mw. LM KL ,7 w .R m s V D E 4 R F E ,Y B

F. STRIEBEL ET AL 7 3,332,357

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RAILROAD TRACK RAILS July 25, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 4, 1965 S E S ,Y A TER "H NW6. A E .L V M wm [L Q A KL m R M E D E R F BY WW1 United tat Our invention relates to a method and apparatus for transposing railroad track rails of both the conventional jointed rail and welded rail types, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reversing track rails between the high and low sides of curves or on tangents, or for moving both types of rails from temporary positions at the shoulder or center of the truck to their permanent location.

A desirable practice in prudent track maintenance procedures is to reverse, at the appropriate time, the positions of the track rails at railroad curves, as this permits a significant increase in the useful life of the rails. The rails on the low side of the curve, in use, tend to flatten out due to the increased proportion of the train weight that the low side rails carry, while the rails on the high side of the curve tend to narrow down due to the wearing action on the rails that is caused by contact therewith of the truck wheel flanges under the action of centrifugal force as the train rounds the curve. By transposing the high and low side rails about the curve the same action acts in reverse on the respective rails and permits further use of them for extended periods of time.

Our invention is particularly suited for performing the rail transposing at track curves.

Heretofore the transposing of rails at curves has been done by disconnecting each individual rail from the ties and from adjacent rails and then using either a crane or a work crew employing lining bars to individually move and set the rails in place. Obviously, these are time-consuming and laborious procedures (especially since the rails from one side of the track have to be lifted over the rails from the other side), but they are longstanding practices that have defied improvement because of the bulk and unwieldiness of track rails.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for transposing rails that permits the transposition of long lengths of conventionally connected rails or welded rail with a minimum of equipment and work force.

Another principal object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for transposing rails which effects rail transposition at the heretofore unheard of rate of on the order of one standard rail length per minute.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail threader device for use in transposing rails that permits long sections of conventionally connected rail or welded rail to be simultaneously transposed at the same time.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a simplified and sturdy rail threader arrangement that may be attached to standard off the track equipment such as bulldozers, front end loaders, cranes, tractors, and other self propelled equipment, to provide a method of transposing rails that is of universal application insofar as railroad track curves are concerned, and to provide a track transposing device that is economical of manufacture, convenient in use, and readily adapted for application to a wide variety of standard track maintenance equipment.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

-In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing a rail atent O 3,332,357 Patented July 25, 1967 transposing device arranged in accordance with this invention applied to the front end of an endless track type bulldozer, showing the apparatus involved as it may be employed in processing the track rails for exchange between opposite sides of track curves;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, showing the front end of the bulldozer in outline form;

FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, as it is applied to the C- frame of the bulldozer;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view similar to that of FIGURE 2 but on a smaller scale and showing a rail threader unit of the general type shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 applied to the other side of the bulldozer C-frame;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view substantially along linei 55 of FIGURE 4 and on a slightly enlarged sca e;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view substantially along line 66 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURES 7-14 are diagrammatic views illustrating the method of this invention for transposing rails along CHI'VCS.

However, it is to be clearly understood that the specific drawing illustrations provided are supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C., and that the invention may take other specific embodiments coming within the scope of the appended claims.

General description Reference numeral 10 of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 generally indicates a rail threader device arranged in accordance with this invention applied to the conventional C- frame or bar 12 of endless track type bulldozer 14. As indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3, the threader device 10 is positioned on one side of the bulldozer 14, while in the arrangement of FIGURES 4 and 5, a similar threader device 10A is applied to the other side of a similar bulldozer 14A. The devices 10 and 10A are identical except that they are arranged to be applied to opposite sides of equipment such as bulldozer 14, and in accordance with this invention, two elf-track pieces of equipment, such as bulldozers 14 and 14A are employed to practice the method of this invention, with one of the bulldozers 14 carrying the threader device 10 and the other bulldozer 14A carrying the threader device 10A (see FIGURE 11).

The threader device 10 generally comprises a threader tube 16, having a generally quadrilateral cross-sectional configuration, which is pivotally mounted on a generally quadrilateral bracket structure 18 that is aflixed to the side 20 of the C-frame 12.

The bracket structure 18 supports the rear end 22 of the threader tube 16 while the forward end 24 of the threader tube is supported by a bracket structure 26 that is secured to the forward or bite portion 28 of the C-frame 12 and includes a shelf structure 28 on which the forward end 24 of the threader tube 16 rests.

The bracket structure 26 comprises a vertically disposed plate structure 30 secured to the C-frame by appropriate knuckle type securing devices 32 and having an angled end portion 33 formed with a window opening 35 through which the forward end 24 of the threader bar extends. The shelf structure defines the under or bottom portion of the window opening 35 that is afiixed to the plate 30.

As indicated in FIGURES l, 2 and 5, the forward end 24 of the threader tube 16 carries a hook structure 34 to which a pair of rail tongs '36 are connected in practicing one phase of this invention, When the rail tongs are not in use, they may be suspended from the hook 38 at the outer end of the bracket structure 26.

Further in accordance with this invention, the forward end 24 of the threader tube is provided at its sides 40 and 42 with tunnelling side flange portions 44 and 46 (see FIGURE 2), respectively, and at its bottom or floor portion 48, with a funnelling flange portion 50 (se FIG- URE The threader devices and 10A each are provided with a pull cable 52 having one end 54 thereof afiixed to an anchor plate 56 that is in turn made fast, as by welding to the bracket structure 26.

The other end 58 of the pull cable 52 is provided with a hook 60 to hold the cable in its inoperative position, as indicated in FIGURE 2 (wherein the hook 60 is applied under a link 62 afiixed to the Gimme), or to secure the cable to a rail joint for pulling the rail in the manner described hereinafter in connection with the method of this invention.

The components of the device 10A that correspond to those of device 10 are given similar reference numerals, as the parts are identical though reversed. However, the bracket structure 18 of device 19A is secured to side 21 of ,C-frame 12, and bracket structure 26 reversed in configuration accordingly.

The devices 10 and 10A are applied to separate bulldozers 14 or other similar self propelled equipment and employed in the manner indicated in FIGURES 7-14 to practice the method of this invention. FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate corresponding parts of both devices 10 and 10A.

Rail trwnsposing method Referring now to FIGURES 7-14, assuming that it is desired to transpose the conventionally joined track rails of a particular curve, such as the curve shown at 70 in FIGURES 11 and 12, between the high and low sides 72 and 74 of the curve 70, the track rail anchors (shown in diagram form at 76 in FIGURE 7) are removed along the curved rails to be transposed, and this includes all such anchors 76 up to the first rail joints in the tangent track portions 78 and 80 at either end of the track curve 70.

For convenience of description, these joints are indicated at A, B, C and D in FIGURES l1 and 12.

Also, the joint bars (shown diagrammatically at 82 in FIGURE 7) are removed from the rail joints A, B, C and D, thus disconnecting the curve rails from the tangent rails and forming continuous lengths of connected rails, that prior to transposition form the high and low sides of the curve, respectively, and thus define rail sectors 84 and 86 on either side of the track bed.

In practice, it is also desirable to divide the sectors 84 and 86 comprising the original high and low side track rails into subsections of approximately ten rails in length, and this is done by disconnecting joint bars 82 at every tenth rail joint along the high and low sides of the track.

Also, at all rail joints between joints A and C, and between joints B and D, respectively, the signal bond wires should be knocked off or removed in any convenient manner.

The rail joints that are to be removed may be conveniently removed by employing conventional bolt machines that disconnect the nuts from the ends of the joint bolts involved, or in any other suitable manner,

In addition, the track spikes along the inside of the rail sectors 84 and 86, between the rail joints A and C along the track sector 84, and between the rail joints B and D along the track sector 86 are removed. These spikes are indicated at 88 in FIGURE 7, and as indicated in FIGURE 7, the outside track spikes 89 are left in place in accordance with this invention.

The spike removal may be done by hand using the usual hand tools, or it may be done more conveniently by employing a conventional mechanical spike puller of any suitable type.

The foregoing procedures may be effected in any con- Venient order. Similar procedures are used to prepare 4 welded rail for transposing except that the rails are cut at joints A, B, C and D to form the rail sectors 84 and 86, and the lack of joint bars eliminates the handling pertaining to same that is mentioned.

The next step of the method is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 8 and calls for tilting the rails of the rail sectors 84 and 36 outwardly of the track to raise and block the inside edge 90 of each rail base 92 sufficiently so that when the rail sectors 84 and 86 are further processed in accordance with this invention, they will not strike the inner tie plate shoulders and displace the ties. This step is not necessary where the tie plates along the curve do not have inner shoulders.

This tilting and blocking action may be conveniently performed by pressing the heads 94 of the rails involved outwardly of the track as required to lift the inside edges 90 of the rail bases high enough to insert a railroad spike or a track anchor between the rail bases and their underlying ties 95. We prefer to do this at about every half rail length lengthwise of the individual subdivisions of sectors 84 and 86 that are formed as reviously described.

The rail tilting action referred to may be performed in any suitable manner, and purely for illustrative purposes FIGURE 4 shows a power unit 96 mounted on an attachment bar 98 that is secured to the C-frame of bulldozer 1413, which bulldozer may be considered the same as the bulldozer 14 previously described, although any other suitable piece of equipment will do. The power unit 96 is shown to include a pair of ram members 99 that are operated in any suitable manner to force the rail heads outwardly in the manner suggested in FIGURE 8.

The showing of unit 96 is provided purely for purposes of illustration as any comparable piece of equipment may be employed which will have suitable power means for serving the purposes of rams 99 to tilt the rails outwardly sufficiently to permit the rail anchor 76 or a rail spike 88 to be inserted between the rail base and the underlying cross tie plate, after which the power unit 96 is actuated to retract the rams 99 so that the rail bases will be resting on the blocking rail spikes or anchors. The blocking spikes or anchors are preferably placed at about every twelfth tie on top of the inner tie plate shoulder, and, of course, under the inside base of the rails.

In practice, the machine employed for this purpose may be a conventional Wollery tie end pusher, made by the Wollery Machine Company of Minneapolis, Minn, which has its tie end pusher bar modified at each end to engage against the gauge sides of the rail sectors 84 and 86. Obviously, in performing the steps illustrated in FIGURE 8, the rails of the respective rail sectors may be tilted outwardly either simultaneously or consecutively, depending upon the type of device used, and as indicated in FIGURE 8, the outside spikes 89 prevent the rails from sliding laterally of the track while performing this part of our method.

After the rail sectors 84 and 86 have been tilted outwardly, and blocked in the manner described immediately above, they are moved toward the center of the track sulficiently to position their bases out from under the outside track spikes 89 (see FIGURE 9) and over the inside shoulders of the tie plates.

In the diagrammatic showing of FIGURE 9, power unit has been illustrated to achieve this purpose comprising an attachment bar 112 that may be afiixed in any suitable manner to the C-frame of a bulldozer 14C (or to the C-frame of bulldozer 14B in place of the unit 96). Attachment bar 112 carries a pair of rail engaging arms 114 that may be pivotally secured in place as at 116 and formed at their lower ends 118 to engage the outside of the respective rail heads 94. The arms 114 are connected by appropriate links 120 to a suitable thrust applying mechanism 122 that may employ hydraulics or the like to draw the arms 114 inwardly of the track rails (and thus toward each other) to position the track sectors at the narrowed gauge necessary for them to have the outside edges 124 of the rail sector bases positioned inwardly of the tie plates (not shown). Once this gauge setting of arms 114 is set, the bulldozer 14C may be moved down the track to in effect cam the track rails to the narrowed gauge indicated for the full length of the respective track sectors 84 and 86 or the subdivisions thereof that are mentioned above.

In practice, the step illustrated by FIGURE 9 may be performed by employing a conventional bulldozer and applying on its earth moving blade a pair of depending bars that are spaced apart to provide the gauge desired when such bars are cammed against the outside of the rails. At like ends of the sectors 84 and 86 the rail sector ends are moved toward each other by lining bars sufiiciently to position them within or between the depending bars of the bulldozer blade, after which thebulldozer is moved the length of the rail sectors with the bars in engagement with the outer heads of the rail sectors and this effects a continuous re-gauging of the rail sectors along the lengths thereof.

These procedures leave the rail sectors 84 and 86 disposed between the tie plates ready for the actual rail transposition process, which brings into use the threader devices 10 and 10A on their respective bulldozers 14 and 14A. The transposition process will be described with reference to the showing of FIGURE 11, and in this connection, it is pointed out that in the showing of FIGURE 11 the transposition procedure is well along in process.

The bulldozer 14 carrying the threader device 10 is then positioned adjacent joint B and oriented so that its front end faces in the direction of the arrow 130 of FIGURE 11. The bulldozer 14 should be positioned with respect to the track bed to dispose its threader device 16 adjacent the rail sector 84 side of the track, and the end 132 of the track sector 86 at joint B is moved sidewise of the track bed into substantial alignment with the threader 14 longitudinally of the track.

The rail tongs 36 are then applied to the hook structure 34 of the threader 14 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 1 and the C-frame of bulldozer 14 is lowered to permit the rail tongs to be engaged with the rail end 132 of sector 86 in the manner indicated in FIGURE 1, after which the bulldozer power mechanism is actuated to lift the C-frame as required to dispose the rail end 132 within the vertical operating range of the threader tube 16; rail end 132 is then blocked up in this elevated position by placing a piece of tie or the like underneath the rail end and resting the rail end on it.

After the rail end is lowered onto the blocking arrangement provided for it, the rail tongs are removed and replaced onto hook 38. The bulldozer is then maneuvered to align the forward end of threader tube 16 horizontally and vertically with the rail end 132, and then the bulldozer 14 is moved in the direction 130 with respect to the rail sectors 84 and 86 to slide the rail threader 10 along the rail sector 86.

The bulldozer 14 at its starting position is thus adjacent joint B and is disposed so that its threader device 16 will be aligned with and receive the rail end 132 of rail sector 86 in the manner indicated. As the bulldozer 14 moves in the direction of arrow 130 to its position shown in FIGURE 11, the rail sector 86 feeds through the threader device 10 and drops down to a position on the track side outwardly of the rail sector 84. We prefer that the operator of the bulldozer 14 operate his machine to drop the rail end 132 on the tie plates (and inwardly of spikes 89 thereof) that were formerly occupied by the rail sector 84 prior to the rail sector 84 having been moved inwardly towards the rail sector 86.

As soon as the bulldozer 14 is moved down the track curve sufliciently towards the rail joints C and D to be out of the way, bulldozer 14A is moved into position to dispose its rail threader device 10A adjacent the track rail joint A, although the threader device 10A should be positioned on the track side where sector 86 originally lay (and thus adjacent the tangent rail that was formerly connected to the rail sector 86). The end 133 of the rail sector 84 that formed part of rail joint A is then moved sidewise of the track into substantial alignment with the rail threader device 10A, after which this rail end is blocked up in the manner previously described in connection with rail end 132 for reception into threader device 10A. The bulldozer 14A is then maneuvered to start the threader device 10A along the rail sector 84 by moving the bulldozer 14A in the direction of arrow to feed the end of the rail sector 84 under consideration through the threader 10A, with the bulldozer operator maneuvering his vehicle to drop the end 133 of the rail sector 84 at the rear of the bulldozer 14A as closely as possible to the tangent rail at joint B. As the bulldozer 14A moves on in the direction of the arrow 130, the bulldozer operator maneuvers his vehicle so that the rail forming sector 84 drops on top of the tie plates that were formerly occupied by the rail sector 86 (that inwardly of the spikes 89 of such tie plates).

Both bulldozers 14 and 14A then move consecutively around the track curve and thus simultaneously feed and thereby transpose the low side rail sector 86 to the curve high side and the high side rail sector 84 to the curve low side with rail sector 86 passing over rail sector 84. Where the rail sectors 84 and 86 are subdivided, as suggester above, these subdivisions are handled consecutively starting at one end of the curve and moving towards the other end, with each new sector subdivision being started by employing the rail end aligning and blocking steps described in connection with rail end 132.

After the rail sectors 84 and 86 have been transposed, the next step of our method involves fitting the ends of the respective sectors 84 and 86 up with the respective tangent rail ends of joints A, B, C and D, and providing the necessary adjustments as to the length toaccomplish this (which are required due to the fact that length of railage around a curve high side is longer than the railage around the low side).

After the threader devices 10 and 10A have been operated by the respective bulldozers 14 and 14A to transpose the rail sectors 84 and 86, respectively, the rail sectors 84 and 86 if processed as described will be positioned somewhat as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 12, wherein there is a gap at 140 between the tangent rail at joint A and the end 132 of rail sector 86, while at the other end 135 of the rail sector 86, there is an overlapping of the rail sector 86 with the adjacent tangent rail at joint C. Also, there is a gap at 142 between the tangent rail at joint D and the corresponding end 137 of the rail sector 84, and the rail sector 84 overlaps the tangent rail at joint B.

It is necessary that the rail sectors 84 and 86 be pulled lengthwise thereof to bring end 132 of sector 86 up into abutting relation with the tangent rail end at joint A, and to bring end 137 of sector 84 up into abutting relation with the tangent rail at joint D.

When this has been done, it will be found that the sector 84 still over-laps the tangent rail at joint B; and the sector 84 is then trimmed at this end as required to se cure properly sector 84 is then trim-med at this end as required to secure properly sector 84 to the rail tangent at joint B.

It will be found that rail sector 86 will require an additional length of rail to complete a gap between its end 135 and the tangent rail at joint C, and this may be supplied in any convenient manner. If the rail portion removed to make rail sector 84 fit is carefully formed, this portion may be employed to fill the gap at joint C.

The movement of the rail sectors accomplished in any suitable manner, as by securing pull cable 52 of either of the rail threader devices to a convenient rail joint adjacent the respective ends 132 and 137 of the respective rail sectors, and then actuating the bull- 84 and 86 may be dozer involved to pull the rail sector the distance required.

The pulling operation in practice is preferably done on the respective rail sectors while the rail remains in the threader tube. In the case of rail sector 86, as soon as bulldozer 14 has moved sufiiciently in the directiori of arrow 130 to dispose sector end 132 adjacent the track tie plates (after being fed through threader 16] pull cable 52 may be applied to a convenient rail joint in front of device 16 and the bulldozer backed up the amount required to bring end 132 up to proper fit with the tangent rail at joint A. In the case of rail sector 84, when bulldozer 14A nears the end 137, the cable 52 of device 16A may be attached to a convenient rail joint rearwardly of device 16A and the bulldozer 14A moved forwardly to slide rail sector 84 the amount required to make the required fit at joint D.

Where further adjustment is required after the rail sectors have dropped from the respective threader devices, the pull cable 52 may be employed to pull the rail sector in question either forwardly or rearwardly of the direction of movement of the bulldozers that is diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 11. Rearward movement may be accomplished by stretching the pull cable 52 out forwardly of the bulldozer and booking the hook 60 onto a convenient rail joint, after which the bulldozer is moved rearwardly thereof; forward movement of the rail may be accomplished by positioning the pull cable 52 over the back of blade structure 26 along the lines suggested in FIGURE 2 and then attaching it to a convenient rail joint, after which the bulldozer is moved in a forward direction.

After the ends of the respective rail sectors '84 and 86 have been properly aligned with and fitted in between the tangent rail ends at joints A, B, C and D, the joint bars 82 are re-applied, and this may be done in any conventional manner, and preferably a suitable bolt machine is employed to handle the joint bolt nuts.

It may be pointed out that in this position of the rails about the curve 70, the rail sectors 84 and 86 'will be positioned somewhat inwardly of the standard gauge, and the adjacent ends of the tangent rails may also have to be moved inwardly of the track slightly to make the joints required at joints A, B, C and D. This may require removal of some spikes at the tangents for a short distance away from the curve at joints A, B, C and D.

In the meantime, the spike holes of the inner spikes about the curve that have been removed should be plugged in a conventional manner to insure a firm anchorage for reapplication of the spikes. This may be done at any convenient time when the spike holes are available for processing.

The next step in the procedure is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 13, and this involves pushing the track rails about the curve against the outside spikes 89 to seat same in the tie plates. For this purpose, the diagrammatically illustrated device 96 of FIGURE 8 may be employed for this purpose, with the rams 99 of device 96 engaging the webs 150 of the respective rails, as shown in FIGURE 13. To perform this operation, the bulldozer 14D which is shown as carrying device 96 mounted on its C-frame, may start at one end of the curve 70 and engage the curve rails in the manner indicated at about every half track length or more as required to firmly seat the rails between the tie plate shoulders and under and against the outside spikes 89.

Alternately, the Wollery machine of the general type above described and having its tie end pusher bar ends appropriately modified to engage the rail Webs may be employed to perform this operation.

After this, the inside spikes 88 are re-applied along the inside edges of both the track sectors and the rail anchors '76 are re-applied in the usual manner as indicated by FIGURE 14. Also, new signal bond wires are applied across joints A, B, C and D and elsewhere as required.

Specific description As previously indicated, the bulldozers 14 and 14A may be of any conventional type, and in a practical application of this invention two model D6 Caterpillar tractors were used as bulldozers 14 and 14A.

In this type of equipment, the C-frarne 12 is pivotally connected to the tractor frame as at (see FIGURE 4), and the C-frame is raised and lowered by telescoping hydraulic jack devices 162 that are operably secured to the tractor frame and to the C-frame as at 164 in any convenient and conventional manner for the purpose of actuating the C-fr'ame. Hydraulic jack devices 162 are extensible and contractable in nature and the extensing and contracting movement is provided by functioning of appropriate hydraulic equipment under the control of suitable hydraulic controls, all of which are well-known in the art.

However, the bracket structures 18 and 26 may also be arranged for mounting on other types of off-track equipment, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, although they should be mounted to permit the threader tube 16 to be raised and lowered as described above. Where the off-track equipment does not have a C-frame or other lever type mounting structure equivalent to the illustrated C-frame 12, it is preferable to provide one, or some other equivalent mechanism on which to mount the threader devices 16.

As indicated in FIGURES 1-5, the threader tube 16 has an open ended box-like configuration of generally quadrilateral transverse cross-sectional configuration and may be formed by side plates and 172 affixed to top and bottom plates 174 and 176 in any suitable manner as by welding. The bottom plate 176 has affixed thereto a stub shaft 17 8 which is journalled in the bracket structure 18 for the above described pivotal movement of the threader tube.

The funnelling flange portions 44, 46 and 50 at the forward end 24 of the threader tube may be formed by Welding in place appropriately shaped plate segments, substantially as shown in the drawings.

The hook structure 34- in the specific forms illustrated comprises an angle member 180 positioned to extend transversely of the threader tube and having its longitudinally extending edges 182 and 184 Welded to the top plate 174 of the threader tube. A cantilever bar 186 has one end 188 thereof afiixed to the top plate 174 of the threader tube and rests against the angle member 180 as at 190, the bar being afiixed in place as by welding at the places indicated. The forwardly extending end 192 of the bar 186 has afiixed to its top surface 194 a loop segment 196 which is positioned to have its ends 198 extend upwardly, and it is proportioned to be received through the end link 200 of a short chain 202 that forms a part of the rail tong device 36. Bar 186 may be appropriately reinforced, as by welding a stiffener bar 201 along its top surface.

The rail tong device 36 comprises in addition to the chain 292 a pair of levers 294 and 206 that are pivotally connected by pin 2G8 and are provided with jaws 210 and 212, respectively, that are proportioned to engage under either side of rail heads. Pivotally secured to each lever 204 and 296 are links 214 and 216 that are received in link 218 of chain 202.

The jaws 210 and 212 of the rail tong device 36 tend to close over and against the rail head when the chain 202 is lifted. The lifting action on the chain 202 effects a pivotal action on the respective levers 204 and 206 tending to swing them about pin 208 to close the jaws on the rail head, as will be immediately apparent to those skilled in the art.

The bracket structure 13 in the specific form illustrated comprises a pair of side plate members 220 and 222 affixed as by welding to a bottom plate member 224 and a top plate member 226.

The bottom plate member 224 is perforated as at 228 to receive the stub shaft 178 for purposes of journalling the threader tube 16 for its indicated pivotal movement.

The side plate 222 has afiixed thereto as by welding 21 pair of laterally extending bracket members 230 and 232 (see FIGURE 6) that are spaced apart to receive between them the side 20 of the C-frame 12. The bracket members 230 and 232 should be proportioned to overhang the C-frame sufficiently as at 234 to permit the,

formation of bolt holes in them for receiving suitable locking bolts 236 for the purpose of clamping bracket members 230 and 232 to the top and bottom surfaces of the C-fr ame side 20.

The top plate 236 of bracket structure 18 may be provided with suitable reinforcing plates 240.

The bracket structure 26 comprises the aforementioned plate structure 34 which may be in the form of a plate 250 of a suitable gauge (boiler plating gauge will be satisfactory) which is provided with spaced pairs of lugs 252, 254 and 256 that are spaced apart to receive between them lugs 258, 260 and 262 that are afiixed to the C-frame 20.

The respective pairs of lugs 252, 254, 256, and the lugs 258, 260, 262 that they cooperate with form the knuckle type securing devices 32 and said lugs are formed with suitable holes that are aligned to receive both the respective bolts 264, 266 that secure the respective lugs together.

The shelf structure 28 comprises a plate 270 extending across the bottom of the window 35, and the top surface 272 of plate 270 forms a wear surface for the threader tube 16.

The anchor or mounting plate 56 of pull cable 52 is aflixed in place between plate structure 26 and its shelf forming plate 270 in any suitable manner as by welding.

At the other side of the window opening 35, a vertically disposed plate 280 is fixed between plate 270 and the upper portion of plate structure 26. The plates 56 and 280 define the side limits of the horizontal swinging action of the threader tube 16, which as indicated in the drawings should be on the order of 20 degrees toward either side of the vehicle.

The hook 38 on which the rail tongs 36 hang is affixed to the outwardly facing surface 282 of the side plate 280' in any suitable manner, as by welding.

It will therefore be seen that we have provided a method and device for transposing curve rails which effects the change over the curve r-ails between the high and low sides of the curve with a minimum of labor and equipment while at 'the same time holding to a minimum the amount of dismantlement of the track and permitting the use of conventional types of maintenance equipment that may be available. The threader device is simplified but effective, and is adapted for attachment to a wide variety of off-trick equipment for use in accordance with the method.

While rail threaders have been employed for other purposes heretofore, they have not been considered successful in threading long lengths of connected rails because of the difficulty of getting the rail joints through the threader. The device of our invention readily receives the rail joints as well as the rail lengths and even though no rollers or other antifriction type devices are employed as part of our rail threader, the gravel and pebbles that are carried into the threader by the rail tend to serve the same purpose between the rail flange and the bottom plate of the threader. The threader tube funnelling side portions 44 and 46 guide the rail joints into the bore of the threader in the event that the rail comes into close adjacency with one side of the threader tube.

Where the track in question uses welded rail construction, it is preferred that the entire rail segment about the curve be fed through the threader, rather than dividing the rail segment into sections. However, suitable joints will have to be made in the tangents adjacent the curve.

Apparatus arranged as described herein in practice has been found to perform the rail transposing step at a rate on the order of a rail length per minute (assuming a normal rail length of thirty-nine feet).

While the invention has been described and illustrated in connection with transposing rails at curves, the same apparatus and methods may be applied to the transposing of tangent rails, although the fact that, the lengths of tangent rail on both sides of the track will ordinarily minimize, if not eliminate, the rail trimming and adding that will be involved.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate our invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have our disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for transposing railroad track rail from one side of the track to the other, said apparatus comprismg:

a wheeled vehicle capable of movement along the track and having a forward end and a rearward end,

a rail threader tube carried by the vehicle adjacent one side of the vehicle,

said threader tube defining a forwardly disposed intake end and a rearwardly disposed rail discharge end,

said threader tube being substantially horizontally disposed and being mounted adjacent its rearward end for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis,

and a supporting shelf carried by the vehicle and mounted in supporting engagement with said intake end of said tube.

2. Apparatus for transposing railroad track rail at curves from one side of the track to the other, said apparatus comprising:

a wheeled vehicle capable of movement along the track and having a forward end and a rearward end,

a rail threader tube carried by the vehicle adjacent one side of the vehicle,

said threader tube defining a forwardly disposed rail intake end and a rearwardly disposed rail discharge end,

said threader tube being substantially horizontally disposed and mounted adjacent its rearward end for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis,

and a supporting shelf structure carried by the vehicle and mounted in supporting engagement with said intake end of said tube,

said shelf structure including stop means on either side of said tube limiting said pivotal movement of said tube intake end toward either side of the vehicle to approximately 20 degrees.

3. A device for transposing railroad track rails at curves from one side of the track to the other, said device comprising an assemblage adapted for attachment to wheeled vehicles capable of movement along the track bed and including:

an elongate rail threader tube including a rail intake end and a rail discharge end,

a first bracket structure-on which said threader tube is pivotally mounted adjacent said rail discharge end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis,

said bracket structure being securable to one side of the vehicle,

and a second bracket structure including a shelf structure supporting said tube intake end and securable to the forward end of the vehicle,

said tube extending generally parallel to the direction of movement of the vehicle and having its said intake end movable sidewise of the vehicle with respect to said shelf structure from a position in which said if tube is in alignment with the path of movement of the vehicle toward positions on either side of said first position in which said tube is disposed at an angle of approximately 20 degrees with respect to said path of movement.

4. A device for transposing railroad track rails at curves or tangents from one side of the track to the other, said device comprising an assemblage adapted for attachment to the C-frame of bulldozers or the like and including:

an elongate rail threader tube including a rail intake end and a rail discharge end,

a first bracket structure on which said threader tube is adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent said rail discharge end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis,

said bracket structure being securable to one side of the C-frame,

and a second bracket structure including a shelf structure adapted to support said tube intake end when mounted in operative position and securable to the forward end of the C-frarne to place same in its said operative position,

said tube being applied to said bracket structures in its operative position to extend generally parallel to the direction of movement of the bulldozer with its said intake end movable sidewise of the bulldozer with respect to said shelf structure from a position in which said tube is in alignment with the path of movement of the bulldozer toward positions on either side of said first position in which said tube is disposed at an angle of approximately 20 degrees with respect to said path of movement.

5. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein said first bracket structure comprises:

a quadrilateral frame structure defining spaced side members and top and bottom members joining said side members,

said threader tube extending through said frame structure and being journalled in said bottom member for said pivotal movement thereof,

one of said frame structure side means including means for attaching said frame structure to said one side of the C-frame.

6. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein said second bracket structure comprises:

a plate member including means carried on one face thereof for attaching same in a vertical position across the front of said C-frame,

said plate member being formed to define a window opening through which said tube is received when said tube and said plate structure are mounted in their said operating positions,

said shelf structure comprising a planar bearing member secured to said plate member across the bottom of said window opening.

7. The device set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said threader tube carries a hook structure projecting forwardly of its said intake end for supporting a pair of rail tongs adapted to be secured to a rail end for lifting the rail end.

8. The device set forth in claim 7 including:

means for securing a cable to the forward side of said plate member for pulling rail lengths on actuation of the bulldozer.

9. A device for 'transposing railroad track rails at curves from one side of the track to the other, said device comprising:

a bulldozer including a C-bar pivotally secured to the sides of the bulldozer and having its front end curving around the front end of the bulldozer,

power means carried by said bulldozer for raising and lowering the front end of said C-bar,

an elongate rail threader tube including a rail intake end and a rail discharge end,

a first bracket structure on which said threader tube is pivotally mounted adjacent said rail discharge end thereof for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis,

said bracket structure being secured to one side of said C-bar,

and a second bracket structure including a shelf structure supporting said tube intake tube and secured to the front end of said C-bar,

said tube extending generally parallel to the direction of movement of the bulldozer and having its said intake end movable sidewise of the bulldozer with respect to said shelf structure from a position in which said tube is in alignment with the path of movement of the bulldozer toward positions on either side of said first position in which said tube is disposed at an angle of approximately 20 degrees with respect to said path of movement.

No references cited.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR TRANSPOSING RAILROAD TRACK RAIL FROM ONE SIDE OF THE TRACK TO THE OTHER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A WHEELED VEHICLE CAPABLE OF MOVEMENT ALONG THE TRACK AND HAVING A FORWARD END AND A REARWARD END, A RAIL THREADER TUBE CARRIED BY THE VEHICLE ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, SAID THREADER TUBE DEFINING A FORWARDLY DISPOSED INTAKE END AND A REARWARDLY DISPOSED RAIL DISCHARGE END, SAID THREADER TUBE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND BEING MOUNTED ADJACENT ITS REARWARD END FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, AND A SUPPORTING SHELF CARRIED BY THE VEHICLE AND MOUNTED IN SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INTAKE END OF SAID TUBE. 